Magical wonders
by Lovelesslife
Summary: What if, when Harry apparated at school, he didn't appear on the roof? Good!Petunia


He was running again. Couldn't Dudley and his gang give up already? He was tired and his legs hurt real bad. He turned the corner of the school and looked around for somewhere to hide, spotting is the dumpster he moved to dive behind it when he heard Dudley getting close.

 _Let me be safe,_ he chanted in his head. _Let me be safe, let me be safe!_ He squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath, then realized he couldn't hear Dudley and his friends anymore. He peeked one eye open and then the other one when he didn't see them.

It was then that he realized he didn't know where he was. He looked around and saw that he was on a beach somewhere and there was a man all in black scowling at him.

'Do you mind?' he snapped. 'You're in my light.'

Harry took notice of the book in his hand as he scurried out of the way. 'Sorry sir.' He said softly. 'What are you reading?'

'It's a book on plants. Not something a young child such as yourself would find interesting.' He said dismissively.

Harry ignored that little fact, as he'd lit up when he heard the type of book. 'On plants? Really? Does it say how to care for them?'

'Yes actually it does.'

'Cool, I've been bugging Aunt to get a book like that so I could take better care of the garden at home, but she won't buy one. Says that they don't exist.'

The man frowned at him. 'Why would a five year old be taking care of the garden?'

Harry looked confused for a moment. 'Oh, you mean me?' When the man nodded he corrected him. 'I'm seven.'

'Why would a seven year old be taking care of the garden?' He repeated.

'Uncle says I has to earn my keep. Aunt says it's so I get out of the house. I say it's 'cause I like the satisfaction of seein' everything growing 'cause _I'm_ the one who treated the plants right. We has the best garden around the block!' He puffed out his chest grinning, then deflated a little. 'Though, that might be 'cause most of them don't have gardens, just lawns.'

'Well, that may be true, but it would just make you work harder on your garden, now wouldn't it?'

Harry tilted his head to the side in thought, unintentionally revealing both the bruises around his neck where Vernon had grabbed him the night before and his scar. 'Hmm, I guess. But what if I couldn't make it the best one?'

'You'd still loved your garden, wouldn't you?'

Harry nodded vigorously. 'Uh-huh. Do you has a garden?' He asked plopping himself down beside the dark man.

'I do. However, it's not a flower garden, although it has flowers in it. Mine holds the ingredients for my work.'

'So it's an herb garden?'

'Not quite, but that is the most common name for it. I call it my ingredients garden.' The man finally shut his book. 'Now, Mr. Potter; why aren't you in school right now?'

Harry yelped and scrambled to his feet, when the mans' intensely focused gaze settled on him. 'How'd you know my name?'

'Your scar. It – and you as well – is extremely famous.'

'It is?'

'Yes. Doesn't your aunt tell you _anything_?'

'Nope. Uncle hurts us both when she does.'

'Ah, well you might want to sit down for this then.' The man waited until Harry sat to continue. 'Do you believe in magic, Mr. Potter?'

'Uncle says that there is no such thing as magic.'

'I didn't ask for your uncle's opinion, I asked for yours. Do you believe in magic?'

Harry thought for a moment, then nodded.

'Good, that'll make this much easier. You, Mr. Potter, are a wizard. As am I, and almost everyone on this beach.'

'Is that why no one was surprised when I a'peared out of nowhere?'

'Is that how you got here?'

'Uh-huh. Was running from Dudley, jumped and was thinking 'let me be safe', then I was here, by you!'

The man groaned. 'This would happen to me. Your magic,' He explained when he saw Harry's confused look. 'Has decided that I should be your new guardian, because it believes I would never intentionally hurt you.'

Harry nodded. 'That's good, right?'

'For those in really bad homes, yes, it's a good thing. However, you were placed in the home you were in for protection. You must reside with your aunt, for this protection to work, as she is your mother's sister.'

'So it works even though aunt 'Tunia was adopted?'

'Petunia was adopted?' The man asked sharply.

'Uh-huh she found the 'doption papers when she was cleaning the attic.'

'Then no, the protection wouldn't have worked, it was based on blood you see. For it to have worked, your aunt would have had to have been a blood relation to your mother. But there are other types of protection that would have worked for your situation.'

'Did you know my Mama?'

'Yes. She was my best friend when we were growing up.'

'Wait, you're Severus? Aunt 'Tunia told me you went to school with my Dad too. Can you tell me more about Mama? Aunt 'Tunia doesn't talk about her much 'cause it makes her sad. But she's told me more about Dad, she said it was 'cause she wasn't close to him, so it didn't hurt as much to talk about him.'

'I think maybe we should go inside before you burn. And maybe give your Aunt a call so she's not worrying about you when you don't come home from school.'

''Kay.'


End file.
